Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher — Profile
Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher passed away on October 18, 1995, making this year the 21st anniversary of her death.
I was first introduced to Fisher when an emergency meeting between primarily black students and faculty was assembled after the racist SAE video was released to the public. The meeting was held at Fisher’s fountain on campus and standing there, in that moment, I began to realize how much of a prominent figure she was to the OU community. We met at her fountain for a reason. She stood for everything we were about to fight for on our campus; not only the right to have an education, but to attain that education without feeling threatened or treated unfairly because of the color of our skin.
This year marks the 65th anniversary of Fisher’s law school graduation in 1951. Yet, her journey towards that celebratory day would be anything but easy.
Bruce Fisher is the son of Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher, a woman who is seen by many as a pioneer for the civil rights movement in Oklahoma. In a 2015 interview conducted by John Erling of Voices of Oklahoma, Fisher wants people to remember his mother for one thing.
“She had the courage to sustain her faith that the U.S. Constitution meant what it said. She was able to get in law school, but most importantly, she was able to get out,” Fisher said.
Ada Fisher’s move to Oklahoma began with racial tensions. Bruce spoke a little about this in his interview.
“In 1962, my parents bought a house on Springlake Drive. At that time, we were the second African American family to live on Springlake Drive. That’s where I began to experience racism like I had never had before,” Fisher said.
His mother was the first African American student admitted into the University of Oklahoma law school. This also made her the first African American woman to attend an all white school in the South. On its campus today rests a fountain dedicated to her. Her fountain can be easily overlooked as it sits beside the welcome center in the North Oval where not many students pass each day. Although, some students recognize and find appreciation for the fountain and the woman it is dedicated to.
Public relations student, Emily Coatney, says the fountain is her favorite spot on campus.
“Whenever I need to get away from the chaos of life, I escape to the fountain, where I am reminded of a courageous young woman who refused to let her dreams be destroyed by her harsh circumstances,” Coatney said.
Those circumstances began with the dream Chickasha-born Fisher, which was to become a lawyer. Her journey towards doing so would be difficult, but nothing short of honorable.
In January 1946, Fisher applied to OU Law School in which the then president of the university, George Lynn Cross, found no academic reason to reject Fisher except for the law regarding the color of her skin. Back then, no person of color was allowed to get an education in an all white school in the South. It was against the law.
Fisher continued on to file a lawsuit what year?, Sipuel v. Board of Regents, with civil rights activist and attorney for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Thurgood Marshall and Amos T. Hall as lawyers by her side.
Eventually, she would take her case to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in her favor stating Oklahoma must provide the same level of education for blacks as for whites. After 18 months of battling the justice system, Fisher enrolled into OU.
Fisher’s case eventually led to Brown v. Board of Education, which ruled state laws implementing public schools for black and white students, was unconstitutional.
Today, Fisher’s influence among not only the OU community, but also specifically black law students, is still apparent.
Just a year ago, OU’s law school made a tribute to Fisher and many students commented on how she has impacted their lives as not only students, but also people.
Law student, Bianca Bryant, aspires to be like Fisher.
“I think she’s just one of those people that truly embody that be the change you want to see in the world. And instead of saying I wish, she went and she did it and I think that speaks the most to me and it’s the kind of person I would like to aspire to be as well,” Bryant said.
According to a press release on March 24 of this year, the OU Black Law Student Association was named Chapter of the Year both regionally and nationally. Former president of the association, Nathan Williamson, admired Fisher’s persistence.
“I would say what speaks to me personally is her perseverance, her struggle to actually attend law school, being denied and still not taking that for an answer and saying that I’m going to continue and I’ll do it, I’ll be the first African American to attend law school at the University of Oklahoma,” Williamson said.
Fisher not only inspired law students, but she has also left her footprint on the hearts of black students in other fields on campus.
Psychology major, Alexandria Denson, credits her journey at OU to Fisher.
“I feel as if I would not be able to be a student at OU without someone like Fisher. She paved the way for people like me and I’m appreciative of her journey and her fight for justice in her education,” Denson said.
In 1981, the Smithsonian honored Fisher’s character as she was recognized as one of 150 outstanding black women.
Health and Exercise Science major, Riian Whitby, honors the character of Fisher and the example she has set for women of color.
“Ada was a representation of resilience. Whenever there was no way in for her she made a way. I think that speaks volumes about her character. And because she made that way, even though I’m not in law school, she was an example of how to be a resilient black woman at a PWI,” Whitby said.
There is no doubt that Fisher’s presence is still felt by many, not only in the law school, but throughout OU’s campus and her legacy of hard work, resilience and strength has not been forgotten.